Massachusetts Job Growth Slows, Unemployment Up Slightly

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development released its jobs report for August and said the state unemployment rate rose to 6.3 percent, up from 6.1 percent in July. The Massachusetts economy lost 4,800 jobs last month and the office revised its jobs number for July saying that the state only added 300 jobs that month, not the 1,600 jobs originally reported.

Overall, Massachusetts has added more than 30,000 jobs in 2012 and its unemployment rate remains lower than the national average of 8.1 percent.